Clear skies and light winds were in the forecast on the morning of September 25, 1978 as a Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) Boeing 727-214 operating as PSA Flight 182 departed Los Angeles International Airport bound for San Diego. On board was a crew of 7 and 128 passengers, of which 30 were PSA airline employees "deadheading" to work in San Diego.

As PSA Flight 182 approached San Diego's Lindbergh Field, numerous aircraft were in the area including a Cessna 172 Skyhawk practicing instrument approaches. On board the Cessna was a Flight Instructor and a Student Pilot wearing a view limiting hood that obstructed his outside vision. After completing two instrument approaches, the Cessna was instructed to maintain VFR at or below 3,500 feet and fly a heading of 070 degrees, shortly after which the Cessna began a turn to 090 degrees and into the path of the descending Boeing 727. Twice, the approach controller notified PSA Flight 182 of the Cessna and both times Flight 182 responded with traffic in sight. A cockpit voice recording taken from Flight 182 would later reveal that the flight crew was not sure of the actual position of the Cessna.

At 9:01:28 AM, a conflict alert warning sounded at the San Diego Approach Control Facility, but was largely ignored as controllers assumed the crew of Flight 182 had visual contact of the Cessna. A final warning of traffic was issued to the Cessna with the collision occurring at the same moment at 9:01:47 AM.

The descending Boeing 727 overtook the much slower and climbing Cessna 172. The Cessna broke up and exploded after colliding with the Boeing's right wing. Both aircraft crashed into San Diego's residential neighborhood of North Park. It was the worst civil aviation accident in the U.S. at the time with 144 persons killed in both aircraft and on the ground.

This accident, as well as the similar mid-air collision that occurred over Cerritos, California during 1986 was instrumental in the implementation of on-board air traffic avoidance systems known as "TCAS". The accident also brought out the inadequacies of air traffic control in San Diego which led to the development of a TCA surrounding Lindbergh Field (now Class "B" Airspace). The accident is still used today in flight training classes to emphasize the importance of accurate and effective communication between pilots and air traffic controllers.

Growing up in Southern California, I remember this accident well. The iconic photos of the crashing 727 were displayed prominently on every newspaper front page and was the main story on every television station. This tragic event would later have me ask "How?" and "Why?" as I began my career in aviation.

A visit to this crash would be much different than any other I have researched. Instead of using topographic maps and coordinates to locate the site, I would use a street map and road signs. There would be no remaining wreckage to mark this air disaster, just a few recently constructed homes, freshly planted trees, and lawns would provide the clues.

I used historic photos and newspaper reports to guide me through the area affected by the crash. The contrast of the older and newer homes was evident on the corner of Dwight and Nile Streets where debris and burning fuel had destroyed many structures.

Other physical evidence of the disaster was found at the site. I located the Boeing 727's impact point using an aerial photograph of the accident scene. The impact crater had been filled-in and re-surfaced, but the concrete and pavement was noticeably still cracked due to settling below the surface. I also noted a sidewalk on Dwight Street that was repaired after the accident had a notation of the disaster scrawled in the wet cement.

Today, there is an effort to place a memorial plaque at the impact site of PSA Flight 182. For more information on this project and to voice your support, please visit their page on Facebook at "PSA Flight 182 Memorial".

Captain McFeron, age 42, joined PSA in 1961. With 17 years at PSA and 14,000 flight hours he was considered a senior captain with the airline. Those that knew him considered him as a "born pilot". Others said "He always seemed to be two heartbeats ahead of the situation".

First Officer Fox, age 38, joined PSA in 1969. A nine-year veteran with the airline, Fox had accumulated 10,000 flight hours and was due for upgrading to captain. He mentioned to friends that he was looking forward to starting the upgrade training.

Originating in Sacramento, PSA Flight 182 was a weekly morning commuter flight to the Southern California cities of Los Angeles and San Diego. The first leg of the flight was uneventful and 102 lucky people deplaned in L.A. Unfortunately, 100 others boarded for the flight's continuation leg to San Diego.

At about 8:15 AM, the Boeing 727 began its pushback from the gate at Los Angeles International Airport. The flight to San Diego would only take about 30-35 minutes.

Departing Los Angeles International Airport, PSA Flight 182 flew southbound along the coast of Southern California towards San Diego. The weather was clear along the entire route with visibility greater than 10 miles.

As Flight 182 neared its destination, the PSA crew was alerted by the approach controller about a small Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft nearby.

The PSA pilots reported that they saw the Cessna after being notified of its position by ATC, although cockpit voice recordings revealed that shortly thereafter the PSA pilots no longer had the Cessna in sight and they were speculating about its position. Lindbergh tower heard the 9.00:50 AM transmission as "He's passing off to our right" and assumed the PSA jet had the Cessna in sight.

Instructor Martin Kazy and student David Boswell had been conducting practice instrument approaches at Lindbergh Field prior to the arrival of Flight 182.

During a missed approach, the Cessna was directed to climb and maintain a heading of 070 degrees. The Cessna however, started to veer left to 090 degrees and into the path of Flight 182.

In the Cessna 172, Boswell under the hood watched his instruments while Kazy, watched the sky for any conflicting traffic. Neither saw the approaching Boeing 727 from behind.

COLLISION - 9:01:47 AM

Traveling nearly twice the speed of the Cessna 172, the descending Boeing 727 overtook the smaller aircraft at an altitude of 2,600 feet.

The impact near the wing root of the Boeing damaged the leading edge slats, forward Kruger flaps and breached the Boeing's right wing fuel tanks. The damage to the Boeing's flaps created an induced and un-recoverable aerodynamic roll.

San Diego County Photographer Hans Wendt was in North Park at the corner of University and Boundary. He was with other county officials to shoot a demonstration of a new fuel vapor recovery system at a service station.

Suddenly, a bang was heard overhead and Wendt instinctively looked up with his Nikkormat EL 35mm camera. He had literally a second or two to focus on infinity and take two color photographs of the descending Flight 182.

The deep crater that the airliner made in 1978 was filled-in during the clean-up and recovery operations.

On close examination however, the cement and pavement surfaces are cracked from the un-stabilized earth underneath. A painted message "You Inspire beauty" also reveals the significance of this particular location.